Device for packaging and preserving sterilized products under vacuum in plastic packs, in particular linen

ABSTRACT

This method of sterilizing and preserving linen packed in a sterile condition lies in introducing into an autoclave the produce accommodated in a plastics pack which is impervious to air and open at least at one of its ends, in proceeding successively in the autoclave with sterilization by steam, then under vacuum, and in sealing the open end of the pack inside the autoclave, in which the vacuum prevails, before removing the packaged product. For this purpose each piece of linen folded in its pack is accommodated in a basket suspended in a support rack comprising at right angles with the open end of each pack an electric heating element and a compressed-air joint; means being provided for conveying the racks into and out of the autoclave; other means cause the air under pressure to penetrate into the joints and switch on the electric elements at the time of sealing the packs in the autoclave.

[ l Dec. 16, 1975 I DEVICE FOR PACKAGING AND PRESERVING STERILIZED PRODUCTS Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee Assistant E.\'arninerJohn Sipos UNDER VACUUM IN PLASTIC PACKS, IN PARTICULAR LINEN Inventor:

Attorney. Agent, or Firm-Edward F. Levy [57] ABSTRACT This method of sterilizing and preserving linen packed Maurice Orliaguet, Sucy en Brie, France [73] Assignee: M.A.J., Pantin, France [22] Filed: Dec. 4, 1974 in a sterile condition lies in introducing into an autoclave the produce accommodated in a plastics pack 2 APPL NOJ 529,295 which is impervious to air and open at least at one of its ends, in proceeding successively in thc autoclave with sterilization by steam, then under vacuum, and in Related U.S. Application Data Continuation-in-part of Scr. No. 3424527. April 6. 1973, abandoned.

sealing the open end of the pack inside the autoclave,

in which the vacuum prevails, before removing the packaged product. For this purpose each piece of [52] U.S. 53/89; 53/1 ll R; 53/112 B linen folded in its pack is accommodated in a basket suspended in a support rack comprising at right angles with the open end of each pack an electric heating el- Int. B65B 31/02 BO 24 W Q R; 15 m l 3 9 m 0 4 $9 3 500 .7 l h my 5 e S f 0 d I e .i F l 00 5 ement and a compressed-air joint; means being provided for conveying the racks into and out of the auto- [56] References Cited clave; other means cause the air under pressure to UNITED STATES PATENTS penetrate into the joints and switch on the electric ele- O w L e h t .m

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US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet 2 of5 3,925,961

U.S. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet 3 of5 3,925,961

Ill

Sheet 4 0f 5 US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet 5 of5 3,925,961

DEVICE FOR PACKAGING AND PRESERVING STERILIZED PRODUCTS UNDER VACUUM IN PLASTIC PACKS, IN PARTICULAR LINEN This application is a continuation in part of the Patent application Ser. No. 348,527 filed on Apr. 6, 1973 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method and device for packaging and preserving sterilized linen under vacuum in plastic packs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART It is known to insert into the autoclaves currently in use in hospitals linen to be sterilized accommodated in a pack made of plastics material. It is also known to create a vacuum in packs filled with the sterilized products. The difficult lies in the means for sterilizing and sealing successively and automatically the packs in the autoclave, so that the linen cannot be contaminated on emerging from the autoclave.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Subject matter of the invention therefore is a device for the packaging, sterilization and preserving in the sterile condition a product accommodated in a plastic pack, in particular linen.

The invention also has as subject matter the means used to effect automatically in the autoclave the insertion of the folded linen into its individual pack so as to steam-sterilize this linen, create the vacuum and seal the packs under vacuum.

According to one special feature of the invention, the packs open at one of their ends are stacked in baskets freely suspended from perforated racks which are supported by horizontal and parallel bars carrying the members for closing and sealing the pack apertures.

According to another feature of the invention the members for closing the open ends of the packs are inflatable joints and the sealing members are welding electric elements, brought into operation when the packs are stacked and separated for the release of the packs which have been sterilized and then sealed under vacuum in the autoclave.

According to another feature of the invention the bars for supporting the packs are guided by rollers rolling along lateral rails of the rack in such a way that they can be shifted by a support rack on corresponding rails of a second support rack in which the previously stacked packs can be disposed.

Another special feature of the invention lies in the means provided on the pack-supporting racks and in the autoclave for controlling from a programmer the supply of compressed air into the inflatable joints and the energization of the electric sealing device for the pack apertures.

Accordingly contamination after sterilization is impossible and the preservation of sterility is ensured by the reliability of the vacuum in the plastic bags containing the sterile articles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The installation according to the invention will be described in the following with reference:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the autoclave ready to receive a support rack filled with linen articles inserted into their individual packs.

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of the carriage supporting the linen rack to which is connected a framework carrying a similar rack capable of receiving the baskets and their packs.

FIG. 3 is a view on an enlarged scale and partly in section showing a portion of the support rack in the position in which the packs are filled ready for sterilization.

FIG. 4 is a similar view to FIG. 3, the baskets being arranged with a view to the placing in position or withdrawal of the packs.

FIG. 5 is a detail view showing the members for closing and sealing the apertures of the packs.

FIG. 6 is a part plan view of a bar carrying that pressure members.

FIG. 7 is a part plan view of a bar carrying the sealing members.

Each pack 1 comprises a bag of plastic material impervious to air and open at its upper end and adapted to receive the article to be sterilized, for example folded linen. It is placed on the adjustable bottom 4 of a basket 13 formed by vertical side arms 16 and a lower board 17 and having transversely crossbars 18 and inwardly curved resilient strips 19. These baskets are suspended from pivots 20 formed by the points of intersection of the scissors 21 bracing the arms 22 and 23 arranged vertically on either side of each basket and firmly attached at their upper part to parallel cross-b ars 24 and 240. These bars are carried at their ends by rollers 25 rolling along the longitudinal rails 26 of a support rack of said baskets, designated in its entirety by 27.

Such a rack may comprise a parallelepipedical framework of metal section elements 28, 29 having a conrol handle 30 and lower rollers 31.

There is assigned to each basket 13 an arm 22 carrying at its upper end at the level of the open end 15 of the pack a compression station 5, and an arm 23 carrying opposite the compression station 5 a welding station 5a. The compression station may comprise an inflatable joint 6 fed by the chamber 7 provided with a compressedair inlet duct 32 and having a pressure plate 8.

The welding station 5a has an electric welding resistance 9 supplied at 33 (FIG. 7).

The arms 24 or 24a, except the end ones, have a pressure member and a welding member on each side for sealing the adjacent packs.

The support racks 27 are carried by the rails 34 of a carriage 35 mounted on wheels 36. These rails 34 are at the same level as the parallel side rails 37 provided in the autoclave so that the successive racks 27 can be transferred through the opening 41 from the carriages 35 into the autoclave.

This transfer is effected when the packs are stacked contiguously in the rack.

In the autoclave there are provided inlets 38 for the sterilizing steam (l50), as well as supply pipes 39 for compressed air and current supply points 42, to which are connected up the ducts 32 and the cables 33 for the compression and welding stations.

The autoclave 40 comprises the normal motors and a programmer 44 intended to co-ordinate the operations of steam-sterilization, creation of vacuum, approximation of the lips 14 of the packs and their sealing as soon as the vacuum has been created.

In operation, the arms 22 and 23 of the support rack 27 are spread apart, in the manner shown in FIG. 4, to

permit the packs 1 to be inserted in the baskets 13. The arms 22 and 23 are then moved toward each other to the positions shown in FIG. 3, in which the pressure plates 8 and resistors 9 engage the lips 14 of the inserted packs 1, but the upper ends 15 thereof are still open. The support rack 27, carrying the baskets 13, is now loaded into the autoclave 40 in the manner shown in FlG. l. The packs 1 in the baskets 13 have their upper ends 15 open, as shown in FIG. 3. When the support rack 27 is wholly within the autoclave 40, resting upon the rails 37 thereof, the ducts 32 are connected to the compressed air supply pipe 39 and the cables 33 are connected to the electrical current supply points 42. After the autoclave is closed, the programmer 44 operates to admit sterilizing steam through the inlets 38 so that the open packs 1 and the linen articles therein are sterilized. Vacuum is then introduced into the interior of the autoclave so that the open packs are maintained under vacuum conditions. The programmer 44 then operates to expand the inflatable joints 6, thus bringing the lips 14 of the packs 1 into abutting engagement as shown in FIG. 5, the electric welding resistances 9 are heated to sealing temperature, and the lips 14 of the packs 1 are pressed together under applied heat to seal the same. This results in the packs 1 being sealed under internal vacuum, with the contents thereof sterilized.

When the racks 27 have been extracted from the au toclave 40 on their carriages 35, they are coupled to a rack 45 made of metal sections having rails 46 on which, after locking at 47, it is possible to proceed with the arrangement of the baskets with a view enabling the removal of the sealed sterile articles (FIG. 2).

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and descirbed herein, it is obvious that numerous omissions, changes and additions may be made in such embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1 clamim:

1. Device for packaging and preserving sterilized products under vacuum in plastic packs, in particular linen, in an autoclave, comprising at least one parallelepipedical support-rack, rails along the upper longitudinal edges of said rack, baskets suspended in this rack, packs in the form of bags of air-impervious plastics bags open at their upper end and carried by said baskets, horizontal and transverse parallel bars provided at their ends with rollers rolling along the rails of the rack, vertical side arms firmly attached to said bars, scissor-type members bracing said arms, members for compressing and sealing the open ends of packs fixed above said arms, means for introducing the support racks loaded with filled packs into the autoclave, and in the autoclave connecting members for compressed air and electricity to said compressing and sealing members of the racks.

2. Device according to claim 1, in which the baskets are suspended from pivots formed by the intersections of the rack scissors.

3. Device according to claim 1, in which the baskets are firmly attached to vertical spacing cross-bars and to lateral, resilient compression strips.

4. Device according to claim 1, in which one of the two arms bordering each basket carries at its upper end and on either side an inflatable joint with thrust member and the other arm is provided on either side with an electric welding resistance and with a tension spring.

5. Device according to claim 1, in which each basket is provided with a vertically adjustable bottom.

6. Device according to claim 1, in which each support rack is mounted on rollers and a carriage is provided with rails to receive the racks at the level of the entrance to the autoclave.

7. Device according to claim 6, comprising a fixed framework of section elements which is capable of being aligned with the rack-carrying carriage so as to receive the assigned baskets.

8. Device according to claim 6, comprising in the autoclave horizontal and parallel rails in alignment with those of the rack-carrying carriage.

9. Device according to claim 1, comprising in the autoclave a programmer for the consecutive, automatic commands for approximation of the open lips of the pack and for their sealing.

* l l l 

1. Device for packaging and preserving sterilized products under vacuum in plastic packs, in particular linen, in an autoclave, comprising at least one parallelepipedical support-rack, rails along the upper longitudinal edges of said rack, baskets suspended in this rack, packs in the form of bags of airimpervious plastics bags open at their upper end and carried by said baskets, horizontal and transverse parallel bars provided at their ends with rollers rolling along the rails of the rack, vertical side arms firmly attached to said bars, scissor-type members bracing said arms, members for compressing and sealing the open ends of packs fixed above said arms, means for introducing the support racks loaded with filled packs into the autoclave, and in the autoclave connecting members for compressed air and electricity to said compressing and sealing members of the racks.
 2. Device according to claim 1, in which the baskets are suspended from pivots formed by the intersections of the rack scissors.
 3. Device according to claim 1, in which the baskets are firmly attached to vertical spacing cross-bars and to lateral, resilient compression strips.
 4. Device according to claim 1, in which one of the two arms bordering each basket carries at its upper end and on either side an inflatable joint with thrust member and the other arm is provided on either side with an electric welding resistance and with a tension spring.
 5. Device according to claim 1, in which each basket is provided with a vertically adjustable bottom.
 6. Device according to claim 1, in which each support rack is mounted on rollers and a carriage is provided with rails to receive the racks at the level of the entrance to the autoclave.
 7. Device according to claim 6, comprising a fixed framework of section elements which is capable of being aligned with the rack-carrying carriage so as to receive the assigned baskets.
 8. Device according to claim 6, comprising in the autoclave horizontal and parallel rails in alignment with those of the rack-carrying carriage.
 9. Device according to claim 1, comprising in the autoclave a programmer for the consecutive, automatic commands for approximation of the open lips of the pack and for their sealing. 